In addition to her prodigious talent and indefatigable work ethic, Ellie had the ability to project utter confidence and authority in her dancing without losing ANY femininity. I never tire of watching her dance - even routines I've watched dozens of times still have the power to make me gasp at their complexity and artistry or giggle with joy at the sheer breathtaking speed and dexterity on display. She truly was one of a kind - The Queen of Tap. LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!

How fitting, the last line spoken to her in a film: "Thank you, Eleanor, you made us very happy." How true..

@esmeephillips5888

3 жыл бұрын

And did any star look happier in her work? It's infectious.

absolutly fantastic tap dance. Eleanor Powell is still the best!!!!!

I watch Eleanor Powell work every day, I can't get enough of this talented beautiful woman

My two favorite talented women! Eleanor Powell, the famous tap dancer and Esther Williams, the famous swimmer. Just love those two women! They are sooo awesome!!!!!!!

Eleanor Powell was the very best there was! LOVE her! Thanks for posting!

She was the most amazingly talented dancer and did her own choreography 🌹. I love her movies and she was still amazing here👏👏👏

During the early 1960s ...Visiting our Cousin Marian ... she'd take me to an olde movie house as a kid to see an Eleanor Powell movie on Saturdays on the San Francisco Peninsula. I think the first was Broadway Melody of 1936. If there was one of her films on TV, we'd order take-out and enjoy Heaven on Earth. She's wonderful.

I love the one where she taps with Fred Astaire, one of the Broadway Melody movies, and it s obvious that he is trying to keep up.

@karenking-ellis441

6 жыл бұрын

Yep!

@nonenoneonenonenone

5 жыл бұрын

Guess again! He is leading her, dancing bigger and stronger, and she is just keeping up. kzread.info/dash/bejne/hmhpy7SMptvHhrA.html

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

@Glenn Jones They are equals.

"Thank you, Eleanor. You've made us very happy."

I love watching Eleanor Powell dance every day. She was the best tap dancer ever! This is fun to see her come out of retirement!!!

@jackanthony976

5 жыл бұрын

She had been retired from movies but not from dancing. She was still performing live in nightclubs. In fact just before filming this number in Duchess of Idaho she had just completed a successful run at the London Palladium. It would be difficult to retire from dancing for six years and just pop right back in at almost 40 years old.

@jackanthony976

5 жыл бұрын

She had been retired from movies but not from dancing. After she left the movies she continued performing live. In fact, she had just completed a very successful run at the London Palladium before she filmed this number in the Duchess Of Idaho. It is difficult to stop dancing for six years and then just suddenly pop up dancing in a major movie.

@jackjules7552

2 жыл бұрын

She hadn't really retired. True, this 1950 film guest spot was her first film appearance in six years. But she continued to perform even after she left films in 1944. Just prior to filming this number Miss Powell had just come off a 1949 tour performing at several venues in Northern Europe including a very successful stint at the Palladium in London. And just prior to that (1948) Miss Powell was one of the first performers at the newly opened Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. And just prior to that she had just completed a 1947 national tour performing in all the US major cities including performing for President Truman.

she made it look easy.... ma'am you are missed

Mesmerized by Eleanor Powell. I could watch her dance all day long!

I read in one of her Hollywood bios that Eleanor Powell's parents strongly encouraged her to learn to dance so that she could overcome an incapacitating childhood shyness. Eleanor showed 'em, all right!! Thanks for such a wonderful upload!!!

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

Parent, singular. Her daddy walked out on a shotgun marriage when she was only a few months old, and Mom raised her to believe he was dead. In 1935 Ellie was playing in Boston when he appeared out of the blue and introduced himself backstage, then vanished again. Ellie had to support her mother during her time in Hollywood- one reason why she did not marry till she was 30.

I recently discovered Eleanor Powell, and now I can't get enough of her and her dancing! Charming, immensely talented, sexy, modest, and loved God. What a first class lady.

@LauraMorland

9 жыл бұрын

sdftrd I just discovered Eleanor Powell last week, and just like you, "I can't get enough of her and her dancing!" I'm trying not to watch all the KZread videos at once, because I want to save some for later... I like her that much. Moreover, she was a wonderful person, too -- and that quality shines out on screen.

@spritelybird

5 жыл бұрын

And no bullshit emo Hollywood shit either. Fred Astaire says she was like a drill sergeant, never cried or complained and sardonic sense of humor. Wish I would have known her.

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

@@yavonae Cyd Charisse tapped in only three films one number of which was deleted from the release print. At least that is what she writes. Tapping was not her forte. But her other dancing was marvelous.

@camillea6701

4 жыл бұрын

My favorite films are the musicals of the 40s and 50s and also from the 30s which featured Eleanor Powell. Favorite dancers Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Gene Nelson, Leslie Caron, Cyd Charisse, Vera Lynn, Ann Miller, Danny Kaye just to name a few.

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

@@camillea6701 I never heard of Vera Lynn. Was she a movie star dancer? I have heard of Vera Ellen who was a star dancer/actress at MGM and other studios.

Think how great it would have been to see Ellie and Gene Kelly together in a Broadway Melody film too! Too bad that didn't happen - but wonderful that we have her other films. Van Johnson says it all at the end of this clip: "Thank you, Eleanor; you've made us very happy."

She just floated effortlessly

Eleanor Powell was a great friend to many black performers. She included them in her films, arranged for them to be employed by studios, etc. Pearl Bailey (an African American singer) and Bill Robinson (an African American dancer) were the godparents of her only child, Peter Ford. There was certainly discrimination in the US in that era, but there were also many good people working for equality.

@glenjones7597

6 жыл бұрын

thank you! Eleanor Powell was not a racist person, she worked with Bill Robinson and he taught her his stair dance

@brucer9572

4 жыл бұрын

That is way too cool. I hope you are telling the truth.

@brianoyler4777

3 жыл бұрын

JudithIN...thank you for posting this comment because there were many people who were kind to African-Americans in the first half of the 20th century. This time has been completely generalized as racist and segregated on account of what was mostly happening in southern states. Most of the artists in the fine arts were well aware of the " black dilemma" in those years.

@esmeephillips5888

3 жыл бұрын

@@glenjones7597 When Ellie danced at swanky New York parties as a teen and Bojangles was on the bill, she refused to enter at the front door and would join him in the service elevator.

Thank you so much, Eleanor put a big grin on my face and a belly laugh when she kicked it up a notch at 1:38!

after watching this i love her more and more ♥

I love how she starts out the tap portion a bit laid back and then at 2:09 kicks in the tap afterburners and flies! Her upper body hardly moves and those feet just vibrate - yeowza! Magical! I can't watch her dance without being amazed.

She is so brilliant!

Best dancer ever. Male or female.

@nonenoneonenonenone

5 жыл бұрын

No, Fred Astaire was still better. He could do all the tapping, plus so much more, and singing and acting. Eleanor is right behind him, though. Ahead of Gene Kelly.

@camillebuccero3386

4 жыл бұрын

She was great at her style but there were dancers just as good and more versatile. Cyd. Charisse for one. She even did ballet. Astaire was great, So many.

I love how she just "happens" to be wearing a dance costume under her removable skirt while out dining with friends!

@BeetlesRock60

9 жыл бұрын

+Ed Harbur Yes, it's a Hollywood movie.

@orgami100

8 жыл бұрын

+Sean OBrien ...... Just waiting for the dance flor to open as Esther Williams jumps in from the balcony diving board..

@davewvu1

7 жыл бұрын

With tap shoes, no less. That's Hollywood!!!!

@orgami100

7 жыл бұрын

That's what Rita Hayworth said regarding her real life.. "They marry Rita Hayworth, then they get me"...

@charlesstuart7290

5 жыл бұрын

I think what she said of husbands " is they think they go to be with Glinda (big role) but they wake up with me.@@orgami100"

I always loved Van Johnson, he's so right! Eleanor Powell most definitely has made us very happy. She reminds us of better times when grace, elegance, class, hard work and dedication meant something. Maybe it will all come back one day.

"You wouldn't dare..." Well, well, well...this was one I'd never seen before. Ellie in color for a second- and last, I believe- time on film. How lucky for us. And is it me, or does she seem almost glad to be able to take Van Johnson's dare on the floor: first in lyrical dance, then with a quick peel of the long skirt, get down to business. As someone else mentioned, it's all about the staccato breakdown at 2:09. Thank you, Judith.

Eleanor Powell was born 21 Nov 1912 - 100 years ago next week - so was 37 during the making of this film.

@opelske She was very special. The woman was a virtuoso. It's one thing to amaze people with flashy, complicated moves. But Ellie could execute the simplest of moves in a way that would melt your heart.

This number clearly shows why she was the TOP female tap dancer--her whole body is involved, in the rhythm and character of the dance. Ann Miller reels off the taps like a typewriter. Only when she's doing a jazz dance number like Too Darn Hot is she really involving her whole self, but it's till the appearance. Eleanor is organic. AND her own choreographer!

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

True, but the director of 'Kiss Me Kate' did Ann no favors by shooting much of the latter part of 'Too Darn Hot' from the waist up. Her big numbers were nearly all compromised that way, or by cutting to spectators. One more example of how Hollywood misused her, alas. It took Busby Berkeley, of all dance directors, to insist that Ann's whole figure was in shot through 'I've Got To Hear That Beat' from 'Small Town Girl', produced the same year. Buzz would once have chopped such a routine into bits, but working with Ellie on 'Fascinating Rhythm' had finally persuaded him that the Astaire-Pan-Sandrich principle- keep the whole figure and the line it traces on view- was the way to go.

Thanks for this great video clip!

My all time favorite dancer!!

I watch this movie on TCM 7/30/18, I watched it just to see Eleanor Powell dance, Bravo!!!!!

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

Funny how she ended her movie career doing a cameo appearance only in this film. Her starring film days had been over for awhile when she did this cameo. I wonder why she bothered as this did not lead to any more roles in the movies.

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

@@jackanthony976 She did it as a favor to Esther Williams, a close friend. The Williams-Johnson romances had become so formulaic that they needed a gimmick. There was also a 'class reunion' angle: her former co-star Red Skelton did an uncredited cameo, and her old tap tutor, Jack Donohoe, was choreographer. Eleanor had done a one-woman show at the London Palladium in spring '49 and was more confident about making a brief comeback now Peter Ford was no longer a baby. But she soon became absorbed by the church, and by scripting, producing and hosting 'Faith of Our Children'.

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

@@esmeephillips5888 Yes, she did get involved in religion quite extensively. I wonder why since religion did nothing to improve a marriage that brought her nothing but misery and eventually she had to file for divorce from Glenn Ford...on his birthday no less!!!

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

@@jackanthony976 She said after the divorce that now she felt married to God 'in the nicest and purest sense'. It was an odd match from the start. After the wedding they returned to their respective mothers and lived apart before Ford rejoined his unit. After Peter was born and following a tough confinement, they had separate bedrooms. I suspect EP was celibate at heart but did not realize it until she had, as it were, tested her vocation for marriage. That is what gives her 1930s routines such a strange charge: the eroticism of innocence. Ann Miller... a different vibe!

@partycentralsales

3 жыл бұрын

@@esmeephillips5888 For what it’s worth, Sid Luft, in the book “Judy and I,” refers to Eleanor Powell as his lover. I don’t get the impression from the context that he was using the term in its old-fashioned sense. The two first met on the boardwalk in Atlantic City prior to her move to Hollywood. He specifically states that when they dated in New York during her Broadway career, they never had sex. The two met up again when he came to Hollywood, and he says, “Later when we were lovers and our relationship progressed, I had my first taste of privilege and fame.” He refers to the fact that he was always introduced as her “assistant” or “secretary.” When docking in New York upon their return from a romantic trip to Cuba, photographs of Eleanor aboard ship captured him “lurking in the background.” MGM was outraged by the ensuing negative press speculation, so Eleanor immediately returned to Hollywood by train with her mother, leaving him on his own. “I was put out. I was egotistical - in a sense, I felt equally important. I was not to be pushed under the carpet. . . Neither of us were in love; we were, however, very much attracted to one another. I suffered a momentary feeling of having been used, but I knew MGM feared a scandal, and it was silly of me to expect Eleanor to defy the studio. The mores of the country were conventional, and the studios tried to cover up anything unsavory.”

The only thing amiss here is the lack of a standing ovation. I love how she is so reluctant at first but when prodded blows the roof of the place like it's nothing. Phenomenal. No, we won't see the likes of her again (said with the sincere if faint hope of eventual contradiction). Love her forever!

I've never seen someone dance so awesome!! Beautiful lady i might add.

When I was a cub scout in L.A.'s largest pack 14C, Eleanor Powell came and spoke to an adult audience, parents of us scouts. I was about nine I think, and I didn't know who she was, other than that she was married to Glen Ford. She'd already retired from the movies. But the adults were ga ga over her. At one point she had folding chairs in the trunk of her car and I was chosen to help her go out and carry them in. I was surprised at how old and small her car was. It was a 'coupe'. On the way out I said "You must be rich, huh?" I've never stopped being embarrassed at that dumb remark. Probably around 1951.

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

What did she talk to the parents of the cub scouts in the audience about? Was she a cub scout mom herself? And if it was 1951 when you met her then that would be about a year after the above video was filmed.

@SuperHartline

4 жыл бұрын

@@jackanthony976 I can't remember what she said. She talked about her son Peter, but if he was in the Scouts he sure wasn't in our pack.

Her last time dancing on the big screen, for one last cameo. Thank you Eleanor, thank you. :)

She gives me the chills!

I like how at the beginning she starts her routine with more of a balletic style, it seems to be poking fun at how MGM musicals were focusing more on lavish Ballet numbers instead of tap numbers, by 1950 Ann Miller was the only real tap dancer left, Astaire, Kelly and Cyd Charisse were focusing on ballet now (Ex. An American in Paris, The Band Wagon, etc.) I always prefered tap routines though, I think that the ballet numbers get long and bloated after a while. Thanks for posting.

Level of great masters! I discovered her recent and I'm still very impressed...

What a lady, what a dancer and what a woman !

I agree with Gracie Allen - I get dizzy just watching her spin like that and it doesn't even affect her.

She was so talented.....

@opelske One thing I know is that history always repeats itself, especially in dancing. I know it's been a long time coming, but this shall return. Especially with clips of this nature on KZread racking up views, this will cause the present day artists to have to "get back to work"!!! Gotta love Ellie!!!!

@johnlorenzen4633

4 жыл бұрын

Let us hope!!!

Haven't seen this movie before, but I see that it features artists getting hustled for free performances. I hope the Van Johnson character at least comped her room :-)

@guinnberger2681

8 жыл бұрын

Right! She's just finished dinner, and he's nagging and blackmailing her to tap-dance! It would have served him right if she'd gotten sick all over his suit from the exertion on a full stomach. LOL.

@jackanthony976

6 жыл бұрын

Probably because Eleanor had been away from films for six years and this would be her final swan song to the movies.

She bowed out at just the right time.

Such a great smile!

Terrific!! I'd completely forgotten she was in this one.

I alike many people, wear tap shoes and a bodysuit with removable skirt, that happens to work as a dress, every-time I go out.

@johnlorenzen4633

4 жыл бұрын

Its hwood!!!

Eleanor Powell is one of the best dancers I have ever seen. She is breathtaking.

That spin at 3:27 is W-O-W. It's as if she's on ice skates.

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

Metro simultaneously signed Sonja Henie, who glided around on skates, and Eleanor Powell, who did not need them.

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

Sorry, it was Zanuck at Fox who grabbed Henie (though only metaphorically, unlike so many of his actresses).

Yes...thank you Eleanor. You’ve made us very happy indeed...

Eleanor was born in 1912 so she was 38 when this movie was released, she moves so incredibly well ... a treat here on YT is a clip when Eleanor danced with Fred Astaire ☺

She sounds like part of the orchestra. Truly one of a kind

@esmeephillips5888

4 жыл бұрын

'She was a musician.' (Fayard Nicholas)

I love this clip

@ernesto Davila Gonzalez...most certainly is dancing...she's actually taking it easy in this one...the only person( let alone woman) to intimidate Fred Astaire...thank you @judith for sharing...

Four days before my dad,sadly deceased. Eleanor Powell and ballet, totally unthinkable. No films feature tap today to my knowledge.

@jackjules7552

2 жыл бұрын

Eleanor started in ballet.

Ela partiu nao ano de 1982, a quase 70 anos, mais deixou a sua arte: O SAPATEADO! E realmente era "nascida para dançar". Eu sempre tive a dança no sangue mais nunca pude me expressar.O que conta nao è a quantidade de anos que se permanece neste universo, mais a qualidade da vida. Eleanor partiu, mais provou muita jòia, possa haver provado dores e desprazer, mais fazia o que desejava: DANçAVA! paz a alma sua!!!!

Seeing is believing; extraordinary!

those turns in THOSE shoes. that fast. omg. amazing.

Eleanor Powell, Hermosa Senorita

Wooohooo, go girl go, she was and is terrific.

Como amo o tip tap adoro Eleanor powel. The best.

She's the most talented woman I've seen in movie history

great dancer!!!!!!

Maravilhosa, nao posso dizer outra coisa, deixou este universo, mais fazia/ se expressava com aquilo ao qual amava a dança - tip-pap.

Eleanor Powell, what a babe!

Best bet is probably on Turner Classic Movie (TCM) cable channel. You can check schedules at their website.

Wow, Ms. Powell was impressive. She made some amazing moves with Astaire. Such a lost art now.

@JudithIN410

4 жыл бұрын

DreamChaser Eleanor Powell made only one movie with Astaire - Broadway Melody of 1940.

The best exponent of dance

I love this women.

Amo os filme da Esther Williams rainha das Piscina bela Sereia grande nadadora ótima atriz 🌺💙💙💙💚💙❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️🤍🤍🤍❤️❤️❤️🌺🌺🌺🌺🎸🎷🎸🎷🎸🎷🎸🎸🎸👑👑👑

Nunca mas volveremos a tener artistas como ella ¡¡

Hahahaha, love those 1950 pelvic thrusts. Go Eleanor!

She had a cameo role in "Thousands Cheer" (Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson - 1943) , which was in color. She performed her boogie-woogie number. You can find it here at KZread.

Best tap dancer ever x

EXCELENTE EL BAILE DE LA BAILARINA Y LOS PASOS MUY BIEN LLEVADOS SALUDOS DESDE CHILE BENDICIONES.-

INCREDIBLE,,👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💃💃💃💃💃

*BUT of Course I Love Eleanor PoweLL!!!*

Perfection!!!

Wow..she made tap dancing look sexy.. not many dancers can claim that. She had extraordinary talent and to echo everyone else here it's too bad that she wasn't in more films!

oh that was amazing! its atonishing how when you look at eleanor she doesn't really age, she still looks amazing, the only thing is she looks more slighly larger at the hip! whic isn't bad thing because it makes her look curvacious like hell! and its a charm, the part where van johnson goes, "what's the matter you tired?", and before you know it youre looking at her, and her dress is gone (!), and she's shaking her hips! i absolutely LOVE that!

Nice to see that she wears her tap shoes everywhere she goes.

Eleanor Powell would fall in love with me if she were still alive. It would be the greatest love story ever told on the planet.

@paultomzak

5 жыл бұрын

Eleanor Powell was one of this century

@jackanthony976

5 жыл бұрын

Eleanor fell "in love" with movie actor Glen Ford and made the mistake of marrying him. And what a disaster that was!!

@roslyndecanio81

4 жыл бұрын

@@jackanthony976 I liked Glenn Ford professionally, but he was terrible in his private life and as a husband. Eleanor was a great mother to their son, Peter.

Yep, that's my gal..................

What a talent

Great ones come and great ones go. Life is too short.

WOW the woman can dance. I love all her movies👏👏👏

Eleanor Powell was born 100 years ago today - Nov 21, 1912.

She's amazing ...

'The boys don't want my music'.... says everything.... she should have been a brighter star than she was allowed to be...

@robertc391

7 жыл бұрын

She was bright during the 30's and early 40's, and still is today.

@davewvu1

7 жыл бұрын

Listen to it again: "The boys don't know my music."

It is to my eternal shame that I never learned to tap dance. I always had visions of exiting a client vs us meeting, tap dancing and playing Foggy Mountain breakdown on banjo. Alas I think I left my run too late, or quit too early, one or the other.

I can't understand how Glenn Ford could left her, she's adorable!

@jackanthony976

6 жыл бұрын

You have it wrong. According to what I have read in several publications it was Eleanor who filed for divorce...she filed for divorce on his birthday no less. According to Eleanor, Glenn Ford was moody, sullen, and very competitive with her in terms of celebrity recognition. And the final straw was his numerous extra marital affairs.

@nallo69

6 жыл бұрын

JACK ANTHONY thanks fir this new information. 😀

@nallo69

6 жыл бұрын

JACK ANTHONY thanks for this new information. 😀

@reisbob7786

6 жыл бұрын

JACK ANTHONY aww

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

Glenn did NOT leave Eleanor...Eleanor kicked his ass out of their Beverly Hills house and it was she who filed for divorce. By the way, Glenn Ford and her 6 year old son were present on the set when she shot this number. In her son's book about his father, there is a picture of the three of them on the set with Eleanor still in costume.

amazingness

@luckdog909 Agreed! I'm so grateful for You Tube that exposes her to a wider audience today. More people need to see the genius and talent of this lady. We surely do need to go back and begin celebrating true talent and beauty.

Lady GaGa and Beyonce, eat your hearts out! You want to know what true talent is? It can be summed up in two words: ELEANOR POWELL!

@jackanthony976

4 жыл бұрын

Let's be fair. Lady Gaga and Beyoncé never claimed to dancers especially tap dancers.

@michaelharpe909

4 жыл бұрын

Eleanor is GREAT - one of the GOATs. But so is Beyonce in her way, and GaGa's got some chops too (as a singer and spectacular)

Love the fluid hand motions 1:28-1:31.

Eleanor Powell was born 96 years ago today - November 21, 1912.

LA MEJOR BAILARINA DE CLAQUE DE LA HISTORIA SU TAP DANCING ERA CASI COMO LOS HERMANOS NICHOLAS O GREGORY HAYNES !!

THE GREATEST DANCER OF ALL TIME....PERIOD.

Forever the best.